Prime Minister Helen Clark says her criticisms of the New Zealand Herald bear no similarity to the ejection a newspaper publisher from Fiji by that country’s military regime.

What both blogs deliberately ignore – because they want to bring down the Herald – is that the story is not a NZ Herald story. It is an NZPA story. This is clearly indicated at the bottom of the page. The Herald running on their website an NZPA story is a daily event.
So really they are saying that NZPA has also joined the Vast Right WIng Conspiracy of 91 years of non charity to Labour. And if I now have editorial control over NZPA, could someone start paying me.

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Comments (72)

The Standard accuses the Herald of handing editorial control over to the Free Speech Coalition

It’s said in jest David, let’s not be disingenuous. The similarities are striking though. And though it is an NZPA story, the Herald is running it hard on their front page under the ‘democracy under attack’ tag.

The idea that Clark’s criticism of the media is in any way comparable to the Fijian dictatorship is absurd, but it’s a meme you and the National Party have seeded carefully over many months. I just thought it was worth noting that the Herald (and appparently some in the wider media) are now parroting your talking points.

Well done, you’re a real champion of democracy.

[DPF: The fact that numerous (the comparison was made on radio also) media organisations have felt it fair to ask the PM about the comparison, and have also found it news worthy enough to write a story on, means your suggestion that this is solely the Herald acting unfairly is baseless. And the reality is that if you do pass undemocratic offensive laws opposed by the Human Rights Commission, the Law Society etc – just to try and tilt the election in your favour – well people will make comparisons you don’t like. The lesson here is not to pass laws designed purely to screw over your opponents. The fact that both you and Helen are unable to appreciate this lesson is partly why there is a 23% gap in the polls.

I also appreciate the irony that the FSC campaign has seemingly gone from being a ramshackle disaster, to so cunning and powerful it has influenced vast portions of the media. Consistency isn’t highly valued it seems]

When I was banking my cheques the other day from the Herald and NZPA the teller asked if I was the editor….I think our master plan has sprung some leaks….I told you I didn’t want the details out in public……this comment system is private, right?…..oh shit…

I think the Herald’s editorial decision to give such prominence to the story is interesting, as is their choice to put it in the context of ‘democracy under attack’.

[DPF: To be fair to Tane he was obviously using hyperbole in saying they have adopted our editorial line. I use hyperbole myself from time to time. I am not 100% up on how the online sites work, but I think many would be surprised by how relatively junior the employees are who decide to place a story online. I’m not in any was dissing them, but don’t think that sticking an NZPA article on the website (or even where it is placed) is something the Editor, or the News Editor, or the Political Editor get consulted on. And the placing it in that category is probably automatic for any EFA stories]

[Tane: DPF, doesn’t that just show how internalised the Herald’s bias has become?]

The fact that numerous (the comparison was made on radio also) media organisations have felt it fair to ask the PM about the comparison, and have also found it news worthy enough to write a story on, means your suggestion that this is solely the Herald acting unfairly is baseless.

Which other media? There may have been one or two I’m not aware of, but it’s the Herald that’s given this story the most prominence. Have a look at Google News:

Buggerlugs

An executive order to deport the editor of that scurrilous right wing rag the New Zealand Herald had to be countermanded today after army personnel found they did not have any working vehicles in which to transport him.

Police were then called upon, but the 111 operator forgot to relay the call.

par·a·noi·a /ˌpærəˈnɔɪə/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[par-uh-noi-uh] Pronunciation Key –
Pronunciation
–noun
1. Psychiatry. a mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions and the projection of personal conflicts, which are ascribed to the supposed hostility of others, sometimes progressing to disturbances of consciousness and aggressive acts believed to be performed in self-defense or as a mission.
2. baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others.
Also, par·a·noe·a /ˌpærəˈniə/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[par-uh-nee-uh]

Bok

Ross Miller

Liked the comments section part of the KBB thread on this. Two contributors including Robinsod suggested that a poster with a differing point of view to the 9th Floor Party line should be “banned”. Gives a degree of credance to the rapidly developing view that Labour would, if it could would, ban the forthcoming election from ever taking place.

Buggerlugs

Bevan

Well done, you’re a real champion of democracy.

I know your attempting to use sarcasm Tane, but unfortunately it is misplaced, as NZ is in debt to the likes of DPF who have decided to take a stand against that vile piece of legislation that you and your election stealing friends have suported all along. One could only imagine the outrage you would have if the bill was tabled under a National Government!

BlairM

Considering Audrey Young and Vernon Small have been so helpful in making Clark New Zealand’s longest serving Labour Party leader, you’d think now that Aud has turned against her, she might shut up and ask herself why instead of painting Granny as some Tory publication. If it really was that right wing, would we have had Clark as PM for this long?

There is information for each individual country, so (if you care) you can read about Fiji, Zimbabwe, North Korea and all the usual billboard suspects. Find out what really happens when governments attack the media.

Sorry to intrude with the facts, we now return you to regular programming …

gd

The PM and the rest of the Socialists are suffering from Keymania which is great. They have become paranoid and delusional. All those of the Right and Freedom movements have to do now is watch them self destruct. Oh and egg them on a bit Mind you it wont take much. Crazy is now enterng the 6th stage of her illness. She will be riddled with doubts about the loyalty of even her closest advisers analysing and reanalysing everything they say to her trying to work out which bits are genuine and which bits arent.

philu

Bok

Gee90
It would mean something except it is the 2007 edition based on info gathered in the 2006 2007 year. Before the EFB. That is the reason people are so upset. Because once free country has had it’s freedom of speech taken away. I realize that this would not sit nicely with your spin but it is up there with the 1988 IRB report on Rugby seedings which stated categorically that NZ was the current world champions.

The media is engaged in an orgy of Idol worship of Key and his cohorts at the moment. They are willing to metaphorically take in any position what the right puts up, and it’s making the media in this country a joke.

Why would the Herald print a story about the Nat boys off mountain biking and Key out for a spot of exercise? To misquote Lange, “I can sell the Semen on your breath”. This nice little party political broadcast on behalf of the seemingly athletic and suddenly green National party was unashamed National idol worshiping. Who jives a flying … if the boys in the blue corner were off for a bike ride?

The Herald’s love affair with Key and consequential dislike of Labour is patently obvious to many people. Headlines like “Should the NZ Herald show more charity to the Labour Party?” only confirm their distain for Labour. Labour wants no Charity, nor does it want any favours, it does however want to see the same standards applied to both sides of the political debate.

[DPF: Paul suffers from the same delusion about the Herald. I recall the Herald Political Editor writing a log entry which skewered John Key, and led to oh around a month of negative stories. The inability to see that Labours absolute contempt for the public (esp over the EFB) has had anything to do with the position they are in, is exactly why they are doing so badly]

Bevan

[Tane: DPF, doesn’t that just show how internalised the Herald’s bias has become?]

The problem with conspiracies Tane is they can always be furthered by some mundane excuse that rarely holds any value.

And often shot down by simple logic, if the Herald had an anti Labour agenda, you can bet some union member would have broken the story long ago to the Heralds competition. Surely there are union members working at the Herald, and surely they wuldnt stand for their work place having a policy of hostility towards the Labour Party.

Bok

Paul
Simple . Helen complains at the Herald being uncharitable, she would like change, therefore she wants the Herald to be charitable towards Labour. Read the item that brought it on , then open your gob. This perpetual whining and whining from the left is non stop.

Bok

And as for the rest of your “thoughts” lets do a bit of research in say google about Helen skiing, tramping et cetera over the last 9 years. FFS man if you want to take a shot at the treatment Key etc is getting make sure your own historical arse is clean.

siobhan

“Labour wants no Charity,”

Of course they don’t, they passed a law which means they can dip their sticky fingers into tax payer money to fund other media to say nice things about them and their policies. Why on earth would they require the charity of one lousy newspaper.

Spam

Kiwiblogblog and the standard running posts on the same subject with the same view! That’s a shock in itself.

And it is interestingly ironic. Does the standard have editorial control over kiwiblogblog, or is it the other way around? Or does the 9th floor have editorial control over them both, or is it the unions? Questions, questions….

Adolf Fiinkensein

gd, the correct term is Keytosis.

Here, directly from the Lifestyle Block website:-

Fat cows are particularly at risk of Keytosis. The first sign of the disease is party hacks who appear dopey or blind and don’t react to you. Labour activists with ketosis typically look drunk, walk unsteadily and may have a sweet smell on their breath. If one or two of these animals get Keytosis you should assume the rest are all at risk and you need to start doing something. The condition is terminal and victims should be put down.

Adolf Fiinkensein

insider

“I am not 100% up on how the online sites work, but I think many would be surprised by how relatively junior the employees are who decide to place a story online. ”

Careful DPF, you’ll earn 10 attack posts at the standard for comments like that and be accused of smearing journalists and attacking their professional integrity. Can’t have reporters called young guys you know.

dc (Bow, peasants! All Hail the author of the RIP filter for KB Comments!) – what’s the odds it leads the TV3 news? Although, following Hearst’s formula of tits, tots, pets and vets, I’m not sure into which category it could be – er – inserted.

PaulL

bobux

gee90

Not only does your information pre-date the passing of the EFA, it is looking at the wrong question. The EFA largely ignores the role of the established media, other than as a medium for other parties to publish advertisements in.

The EFA restricts the ability of citizens to comments on politics and advocate for and against political parties in an election year. While this restricts people’s freedom of expression, I am unsure if it will be captured by the Freedom House survey of press freedom.

Nice try though.

Paul

“I can sell the Semen on your breath”

When you don’t have any real arguments, I guess lowering the tone of the debate is worth a try. Later, you can complain about the nastiness of the righties that post on Kiwiblog.

As others have pointed out, there have been plenty of feel-good shots of Helen Clark over the past eight years. And the “National-loving” Herald was only to happy to run shots making Don Brash look geeky and inept last election. I know it is a shock to find that Labour doesn’t get uncritical coverage, but get used to it. No one likes to be seen backing a loser.

Ghostwhowalksnz

Was the NZ herald real estate archives the place you procured your photo of Mintos house for your personal harrasment of him on your blog.

Was your comment that you know who I am since you claim I write lots of letters to the Herald mean you have access to the archives of the letters (published and unpublished) and the name and address of the senders.

come on, I thought that was rather clever. You see Semen sounds like Uranium, which was the exact word used by Lange. All I did was swap one word and was able to create a whole new meaning for the quote.

Come on, it will go down in NZ literary history of blogosphere criticism.

If you wanted to know what I really thought of the media’s little stiffie for the right these days, I’m sure David would send me some sort of warning. So all I wanted to do was play on the sexual connotations as that was my perception that the media was taking whatever the right was feeding it.

Sorry to be so to the point but it seems that my political criticism was mistaken as abuse. What was Garth George’s bit in the paper about today? Only his hatred of one hell of a large part of the community. Political neutrality my tushy (clean enough David?)

[DPF: ANd now Paul fails to understand what a columnist is. Yes they have GG. They also have Tapu Misa and Brian Rudman]

Buggerlugs

GWW – it’s not about you. It’s about the fucking mess the country is in because the PM has gone stark raving mad, and all her acolytes are thieves, liars, and/or lunatics. Hunter S Thompson (RIP) would have a field day with this lot.

Bok

Paul
Here is the problem a person like you face. You are a champion of some-one who herself admitted to being a fraudster and a liar. A government that has had to change the law retrospectively because they stole from the ordinary kiwi. Protecting for a long time (to win the election) a minister who indulged in slave labour (Field) and the list goes on and on and on. So any “moral high ground” you wish to occupy, does not exist. Your lot yelled “bretheren” even though it was proven that they tried to do outside of national’s knowledge. Yet Labour was party to (and this out of the mouth of the man who wrote the cheques) bribery, trying to buy the Moari party and offering honours for cash. In other words, you champion a government that was willing to sell NZ just to stay in power. The difference between what you say and what we say is simply this: The [proof is there when the main player and the biggest donor of your party say that that is what happened.
You can jump up and down and scream the moon is a cheese as much as you like, but sadly for you, it is a rock no matter how long you lie on the ground kicking both legs in the air, crying.

Buggerlugs

Paul says his hatred of one hell of a large part of the community. Yes, but thankfully it’s shrinking by the day and may not have even been as large as you imagined. BTW, I thought your childish post on your pseudo-intellectual blog on this matter definitely put the p in puerile (yes, that is how you spell it)

bobux

“You see Semen sounds like Uranium, which was the exact word used by Lange. All I did was swap one word and was able to create a whole new meaning for the quote.”

Semen sounds like uranium? Err, if you insist. And by the way, ‘smell’ to ‘sell’ and ‘uranium’ to ‘semen’ makes two words you swapped. Not that I am a stickler for accuracy, but expecting our budding Oscar Wilde of the blogosphere to able to count to two surely isn’t unreasonable

weizguy

I don’t think anyone actually believes that the NZ Herald is working for the National Party. However, it does seem that the Herald, and a number of other media outlets, have decided that they want a change of government. My theory – A new government makes for far more interesting news than the same government that we’ve had for the last 9 years. I guess you can’t blame them for wanting to have something interesting to write about – I just wish they would stop pretending that they’re being impartial.

BTW – the comment scoring seems to be working as it was always going to – anyone from the left gets negative scores, anyone from the right gets positives. What’s the point?

RRM

Speaking of the Herald, Hard News today takes apart the Herald article about ‘Anti-depression drugs don’t work – study’ – not because of any political orientation in the article, but just because it is straight out WRONG…

If you have bothered to visit my blog even once, you will of course see that I am not in any way shape or form affiliated, part of or indeed a supporter or even voter of Labour. From memory the last time I voted Labour was in the Jim Bolger years. So Bok, I am not championing Helen. Tim sad allegations mate, it’s seemingly impossible for you on the right that there are people out there on the left willing to spend their time on this issue independent of the labour party. As for Helen, she is a deeply flawed person, but that also makes her a hell of a lot more human than many of the idols of the right.

Bobox, sorry my error (long suffering bloggers are used to my apologizing for the Dyslexia), the selling of the smell is of course a typo. It of course should have been the “smell of Semen”, but there have been many in the past to whom poor grammar or spelling has been cause for a fight, I trust we can leave it at that. If the spell checker doesn’t stop it, i’m screwed.

Bok, there is a fundamental ground-shift in accepting money from wealthy business benefactors (a very old and established political practice in NZ), to that of an organisation of religious fundamentalists whom broke their own rules to try to over throw a government. Add to that the fact that nationals pockets are multiples of a magnitude deeper yet tied up in (ok we won’t use the word murky) trusts. The public was rightly uncomfortable with Bretheren money but are comfortable with business and union money being spent on political organisations. There is no attempt at moral high ground, we on the left would just love the transparency expected of one side to be applied evenly to that of the right, and boy does that get the right all worked up.

Bugerlugs, “pseudo-intellectual blog” hardly, if you had bothered to read my ‘about’ page, you will see that all my blog is the modern digital version of the political soap box, any attempt at intellectual discourse I leave to my design business. What did you exactly find puerile (go the spelling nazi’s once again)? Was it the subject or the presentation, or you just don’t agree. One is allowed to have views on things these days, or does the right want to shut down this right?

See that is one of the nastier sides of the blogosphere isn’t it. Anon people are able to level all sorts of shit at people without any ramifications. Yet if I was to met you face to face would you correct my pronunciation or grammar? I certainly wouldn’t do you the discourtesy. Dyslexia is a pain in the arse only when one needs to sit down at the keyboard, and sadly this forum isn’t in a pub over a beer and the keyboard is necessary. Are all of the pseudonyms necessary. If you aren’t comfortable enough in your convictions are you ready for political discourse?

I am more than aware of what a columnist is. What I am concerned about with GG, is that any self respecting editor would allow such hateful, dogmatic and antiquated sentiments to be published. This of course wouldn’t be censorship, it would just require a sub editor to say, mate you need to tidy up the language in a newspaper like this we don’t espouse homophobia. It’s also a shame that today the lines of political commentary and ‘actual’ journalism are so blurred as to seem one in the same.

This is also not a crusade against The Herald, this is a comment against the stunningly poor journalist standards we accept in this country (and no I am not a journalist so do not need to apply their standards to my work – as I am not also a mechanic so don’t need to know the workings of the internal combustion engine to drive a car). But I have travelled a lot, to countries with similar political systems, and in my humble opinion there is no media more obsessed with it’s politicians than in NZ. Australia comes close. A strike by a majority of the council workers for roughly 3 months last year didn’t produce as much political reporting as goes on in this country in a week or two. Canadian’s are political people but in the whole 6 months I was there there was one opinion poll which was conducted specifically for the strike and it’s impact on the folk of Vancouver. Do we need 3 polls a month, every month 3 years out from an election – except to keep the over staffed political reporters doing something.

The other night the news cut live in the broadcast to see if Mr Owen and Helen had spoken or what the body language was? Are you freaking serious, that is worthy of a satellite feed?

Is it a case that there are simply too many political reporters with the mandate to produce something/anything daily or as often as possible? There is too much news in NZ. We now have morning, noon, late afternoon, main and late evening news, and that’s only on the free to air stuff.

We have long accepted the terrified masses that hang on to every word of talk radio, with the likes of Lindsay Perigo, Danny Morrison et al whom never correct irrational fears or bigoted and misguided thoughts. Those who do ring in to take an opposing view or correct an error are more often than not abused these days. Those people add nothing to the betterment of society. Seriously what was the point of Lindsay Perigo everyday starting his show with a deliberate mispronunciation of the most basic of Kiwi greetings Kia Ora, if it wasn’t to piss off Maori and the bleeding heart lefties, and perpetuate the bigotry of the scared masses. What was the point. If I was to greet the bugger in real life would I say, Lidsae Perriguine nice to meet you.

However when the attitudes and divisive nature of that sort of journalism spills over to the so called accepted media, it is a concern, and it shouldn’t be a concern for just the left. Of the two columnist pieces I read today about smacking law, George’s was full of vitriol and irrational bigotry, whilst the others was devoid of any derision and pain. Does George still need to be telling the world that he doesn’t like homos or lefties or greenies, and that God’s divine rule gives him the right to do whatever he likes, is that doing anyone any good except satisfying that sad old bastards irrational and thankfully out dated fears.

PaulL

weizguy: they don’t want a change of govt as such. They are reporting what is happening. They are no longer covering up for, or going easy on, the Labour party. Is there any debate that a wealthy foreign man gave a large amount of money to Labour, then got given an honour. That the Labour party president said he had donated nothing to Labour. That it turned out he had, under the legal definition of donate, and also under any sane definition of the word. That it then turned out he had a conversation with Helen about becoming an MP, and subsequently about becoming an honorary consul. The papers aren’t spinning anything, they’re reporting what actually happened. They don’t have to make shit up when the truth is this insane. It is all a political own goal, and blaming the newspapers for the gift you gave them isn’t really the right way to go about making sure that it doesn’t happen again.

Face it, Helen is attacking the newspapers because she has no other choice. The polls are in a nosedive, and the momentum is a problem. Convince people it is a conspiracy and they might not join that momentum.

PaulL

Paul, you mean National’s anonymous donations. Do you have a dictionary? And do you have similar concerns about Labour’s anonymous donations? Remember those are quite large as well – although donations to Labour have dropped substantially in recent years. If there was a story about National’s donations then the papers would be reporting it, don’t you worry. They sure as hell reported the non-story and general beat up that was the ‘Hollow Men’ book, I don’t recall you complaining about that.

Bok

I love how the left can turn a positive into a negative. The National party established a firewall between donors and the executive so that graft is avoided, and people like Paul sees that as a problem. He would rather that big business buy policy and honours and consulates. Then after coming up with a particularly lowbrow bit of wit (the semen thing) Paul ask us to accept his criticism of journalists and the level of their work.
Paul (I am a victim, had to fight because of my dyslexia) if you want to take a shot as I said make sure you have bullets.
And why is it that every lefty never voted Labour, are not a Labour member etc?
As to NZ being a great place to bring up children, yeah right! That is why we are losing 400 kiwis a week to Australia. For a start they have a better education system.

I love the fact that people like Paul and Tane etc pretend to have a moral code, yet excuses lies and fraud. Yes the left is morally bankrupt. You just have to look at their heros to see just how bankrupt. Helen’s posterboy Castro said in his first speech in power, that no blood would ever again be spilled in Cuba over politics, and the very next day he started the executions. But silly me, executing opponents is “a very old and established political practice in ” leftist politics). Here in NZ they just have not progressed to actual bloodspilling yet. They just get people fired from their jobs (Not so Mr Mallard and Cunliff,) for dissent. And their reputations ruined (As Doone).

And Paul I love the duplicitous values you have. GG is homophobic and that is bad but it is okay for you to have a crack at the bretheren, You call out journalist for having a view, yet you decide that talk back callers are terrible and worthless people. You really do rate yourself.

weizguy

Sorry PaulL, I have to disagree, the whole Owen Glenn issue is a media beat up. Some minor slip ups were embarrassing, but did not deserve the media saga that we’ve seen. Scandal (real or perceived) sells papers and advertising, that’s what we’re seeing. Even Francesca Mold admitted that the Peters part of the story was more about his personal battle with certain journalists than it was about a real story.

Why not give it a name? Something with Gate on the end – that seems to be par for the course with these “Scandals”